It is now the warm season in the Southern Hemisphere. Sea ice is making its seasonal retreat, yet the Russian cruise ship, Akademik Shokalskiy, is trapped in the sea ice with “52 tourists, scientists and explorers” and a crew of 22. You would think the combined brains of all those scientists on board would have kept them out of the zone of freezing water. While the ship’s brochure points out that “Views are excellent from the large, open decks and the Navigation Bridge’” maybe they couldn’t see the ice coming from the vantage point of the “Lounge and bar, open late afternoon and evening with a wide selection of wines and spirits” (an essential feature of all scientific research vessels). Our prayers go out to the scientists and others on this harrowing adventure as ice breakers race to free them the frozen grip of the sea. I hope the sauna stays warm and the booze holds out until they get there.